32 replies to this topic

[Derantol]

What kind of music is this game going to feature? It's of particular interest to me, I suppose, because sometimes I'll play a game or watch a movie more because I've heard the music is good than for other reasons. But I am curious about that.

To everyone else, since it's going to come up anyway, want kind of music do you want or expect from this game? I expect (and want) some sort of dark "epic" music akin to the music of John Williams, Howard Shore, or Hans Zimmer, largely because of how well that could fit well with the "surreal" art style.

Edited by Derantol, 29 February 2012 - 07:23 PM.

[ImperatorPavel]

Yeah.  I wonder if Ironclad will get Paul Schuegraf to do the music for this game.  He did the music for Sins, and the Sins music is very, very good.

[Derantol]

I can see that working out well. SoaSE's music was very appropriate and set the mood effectively; the only concern I have is that the music tended to be dark marches, which, while appropriate for the space empire setting, aren't nearly as applicable for this setting. The slow march to victory was essentially the way it worked in SoaSE, but this game is intended to be a lot more fast-paced - I think high-tempo and high-energy music would a great edge on the game's experience.

[IanD967]

Is there any chance of getting a small sample of a piece of music Ironclad? you know you want to for all your fans hehe.

[Thanatological]

Honestly I am mixed on the issue of music, Yes it can kill the mood, but I often mute it out when I need too communicate on a teamspeak server or something.

[Ascanius31]

I agree with most of everything already posted here! Yes, the music for SoaSE is good, no it may not be entirely appropriate for SoaDA, and I ALSO mute the music when playing multiplayer and needing to communicate.

Hey, if they did a good job with the music for SoaSE, we should be in good hands for this one, right?

[IanD967]

If they put in music, which always happens in games, it doesn't mean they will put alot.

Most likely for the sign-in screen and menus and a couple of battle/in-game tunes but not alot.

[psychoak]

Background sound is ok, but I'd be aiming for ambiance in general, not musical scores specifically.

[Thanatological]

I still tend too mute a program outright, but yes I would not say music as in just music, but music as the overall quality and presentation  of the sounds we hear.

[Arkainon]

psychoak, on 01 March 2012 - 06:01 PM, said:

Background sound is ok, but I'd be aiming for ambiance in general, not musical scores specifically.

I agree. There are a few tunes I've heard through my years of gaming (especially being pretty much raised on RTS since '98) that I really enjoyed, but the majority of the time I just turn off music and leave ambience/environment sounds. The only game I've never once turned off the music on unless absolutely necessary was Warlords Battlecry.. I just love it. It's awesome. Check it out on youtube if you've never played WBC.
Also, the second victory song on Age of Empires.. I have it on my mp3 player. XD It's listed as "won2" in the game files.

But yeah. Generally, I leave music off. And sadly, I have to say I've never even noticed the music on SoaSE... Is it just melded too well with the gameplay? I know there was music, but I have no recollection of it. I'm gonna have to start it up just to hear it now. XD

[reclearerr]

Dark Psychedelic Ambient - the best choice for background.
:DDD

[IanD967]

Is it just me or does the Vasari theme really fit the Fantasy theme?

[Mornhaven]

I think a lot of the Sins of a Solar Empire music would work; and I would not mind, it sounded awsome. I feel, however, that the music will likely be more ambient and softer (but no less intense!) with more nature noises (pending on the maps) because the matches are designed to be shorter and more intense. This means they do not want music destracting the gamers. I would also hope to hear nature sounds in game as well, like chirping bird or a babling brooke if the map was a forest, especially for the heroes so it draws players in as they explore.

[IanD967]

Ambient sounds such as birds singing, owls hooting if it is a nighttime map and the like would be really awesome to have! it may be small but it is all the small things that count to make it that little bit more special

I cannot see them using heavy loud music for a battle because, as you said, it would distract players and if a certain skill has a certain sound to indicate it being used (apart from a visual effect) could be masked by the music.

[Colinftw]

I really think that the music is a very important part of the game. I am an old League Of Legends player and i am totally looking forward for this game.I really think that the music should be more like a theme. 2-3 Songs made by special effects or something. The music can shut your gaming expierience but can also make it better.In would reconise the lol theme immediately if i hear it.So into the game and it has a strong connection with the game. You really need something special for this game. Heroes of Newerth doesn't have too much music and the special effects + announcers + background sounds are absolutely shitty thing that you may not notice but feel it fast.

[reclearerr]

Generally, most of people playing any game on the Internet listen to music they like or just chatting with teammates\friends over the voice chat. So, I can't agree music plays really important role.
As for me, I have never listened to background music in, 4 ex., Dota 2 just because I prefer my iTunes library

[Derantol]

I definitely identify with many of the opinions in here - I'll mute the music in some games as well if I'm interested in listening to something else, or if I'll be playing with friends on voice chat. I also understand that since this won't be a single-player game, the amount the music will affect the experience is less than it might have been otherwise.

That being said, I'm still of the mindset that if it's worth adding music at all, it's probably worth doing right. And there are some games that really got the whole music thing down - I imagine most (or maybe even all) of us would recognize the Halo theme with very little prompting, for instance.

I've been thinking about how music might be done to make it more dynamic without putting too much extra work into it. As I recall (unfortunately I can't check, but I'm sure someone will verify), in Sins of a Solar Empire, the music would change depending on your zoom level and how intense the fighting was at the location you were viewing. If that's not the case, I still like the idea. Anyway, for a game like this, having the music react to your own surroundings could enhance the moods of the players involved. You could have a fairly steady bass line and limited percussion on a track that essentially runs constantly, and have perhaps half a dozen other tracks that would play in various instances, sometimes simultaneously. If there's a hero around, track two would start playing with the bass track. Another hero from each side shows up, and track three boots up to bring even more intensity. Entering the enemy base might change the nature of the music, turning off tracks two and three and instead playing track five, and maybe even another track to augment how the bass line and percussion is playing out. Playing around with how the tracks enter could make those transitions work more and more smoothly. It's a lot of work, and admittedly something of a raw idea, but I think it'd be cool.

The discussion here raises another thought in my mind, too. With ambient noise (and often music), I often notice varying levels of repetition, and that sometimes puts a damper on my mood. Would you guys consider occasionally updating sound packs? Even if it's just releasing an extra few sounds here and there, the game will feel more engaging if my hero doesn't spit out the same three lines twelve times a minute. It works for LoL because of the exaggerated cartoony feel is coupled with recognizable catch phrases, but since this game aims for a different feel, that might be one way to do it.

And yes, Ian - that track does seem to fit fantasy as well as the Vasari

[Arkainon]

IanD967, on 03 March 2012 - 05:16 AM, said:

Is it just me or does the Vasari theme really fit the Fantasy theme?

I'd increase the tempo on the drum beat, and use an older style horn.

[Arkainon]

Here's one of my favorite music pieces of all time.

[Mornhaven]

Arkainon, you got me bit by the nostalgia bug. Age of Empires 2 was the game that turned me into a gamer.

On topic, in this thread I feel that I am in the minority, I enjoy most in-game music and ambient sound. Even when I am talking with teammates on skype I keep the music on. In my opinion, in game music fits the game very well, in most cases, and any other music I play seems to pull me out of the experience.